PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY

The Elon University Strength and Conditioning Program is based on hard work and competition. It is our belief that you do not just become strong. You must work hard each and every day to attain your goals. With all things being equal, the team that works the hardest usually wins. So as a coaching staff, we want to instill the characteristics of a champion: Dedication, Sacrifice and Toughness. It is our job to ensure that every time an athlete leaves a training session, he or she has become both physically and mentally tougher.

Each staff member is dedicated to every athlete. Our main objectives are maximizing an athlete's potential and preventing injury. Safety is a major concern and will never be sacrificed to lift more weight. Proper techniques for spotting and performing the lifts are taught before an athlete begins training. As our athletes learn how to work harder and compete at a higher level, their team, our department and our university will become stronger and take one more step toward being champions.

In the Phoenix Iron Works Program, we maintain four basic principles. They are:

1. Accountability: Every athlete is responsible for being on time and doing the workout prescribed for that day. In a team setting, you will always be held accountable for the actions of your teammates.

2. Discipline: Simply stated, do the little things right at all times until it becomes habit. Once it becomes a habit, it carries over into every aspect of your life, not just athletics.

3. Tempo: Everything we do is upbeat and time efficient. From the time an athlete walks in the door, it is time to go to work. There is little or no idle time in the weight room.

4. Positive Spirit: Negativity affects productivity. Bad attitudes will not be tolerated. We are all here for the same purpose, so let's have fun while we do it.

There are several characteristics that help to create a champion, with hard work being the foundation.

We train our athletes to become better athletes, not power lifters or bodybuilders. To accomplish this goal, we incorporate many different exercises. There is an emphasis on free weight ground-based / multi-joint movements (Olympic Lifts, squat, bench, etc.) with the use of periodization and overload principles. We work on sport-specific strength. Athletes are to develop total body strength by using free weights to increase power by training explosively. As coaches, we put our athletes in competitive situations as much as possible to better prepare them for game day.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither are champions. The heart of a champion is built every day by always working hard and emphasizing that the little things are done right.